Communication platform for Nexto Series programmable controllers , MasterTool IEC XE is a complete tool for programming, debugging, configuring and simulating applications. Based on CODESYS technology, the software has features for all stages of the product life cycle. micro to large projects. In its new version 3.40 the platform now supports some of the most recent products in the Nexto family and gains features to further improve the user experience.
Available for download here, on the Altus website , the software is free for applications with up to 320 I/O points and all MasterTool IEC XE users have access to improvements routinely implemented free of charge when updating the PLC project.
Check out the main changes that upgrading the platform to version 3.40 brings to its users.
Support for new Nexto family products
By downloading the installer from the Altus website and updating your software, the user will enable a series of new features and functionalities in MasterTool IEC XE. Among these features is support for the new NX3008 CPU, the most advanced processing unit in the Nexto Series of PLCs. Designed to be a global CPU capable of interacting with the most varied devices and systems found on the market, the PLC is now available for communication and configuration through version 3.40 of the platform.
Another line of products that now appears natively in the software are input and output expansions from Nexto Xpress line. As of this update, the system now has the products XP101, a model with 16 digital inputs, and XP106, a model with 8 digital inputs and 6 digital relay outputs. The devices are available in the device repository as CANopen slaves.
Click here to download the technical documentation for the expansions I/O Nexto
In addition to the new products, MasterTool IEC XE v3.40 also brings new features regarding support for communication protocols. As of the latest firmware version available, all Nexto Xpress models, a family of compact and IoT-ready PLCs from Altus, now support EtherCAT Master. Widely used in machine applications, the protocol now appears as a communication option in the software for these PLCs.
New function libraries and expanded features
To give more flexibilityto projects and allow greater scalabilityto applications that use Nexto Xpress products, the new MasterTool update now includes a function library able to expand the number of analog inputs. Available for integration with all PLCs in the line, with the exception of the XP300 model, LibIntegratedIoExt allows the user to enable the voltage and current analog input pins to operate simultaneously, expanding the PLC capacity to up to 10 analog inputs. Thus, the user can connect to the product 05 transducers (sensors) with current standards 0 to 20 or 4 to 20 mA and, in addition, 05 more instruments based on voltage from 0 to 10 Vdc.
Below, you will find a video tutorial with step-by-step instructions on how to configure the feature:
Another improvement present in the software update was the update of the LibNextoPID resource to support new standards and advanced control functions. Library that contains the PID function blocks of Nexto Series controllers, NextoPID uses a variable and a process setpoint from the functional block to calculate the manipulated variable for the controlled process, considering the factors Proportional, Integraland Derivativeprogrammed. This is a PID control algorithm where the proportional gain is the controller gain, applied to both the error and the integral and derivative portions of the controller.
Types of Functions (FUN) and function blocks (FB) available in the NextoPID library:
| PIDA_REAL | FB | PID control with most parameters with REAL type, support for override and cascade configurations |
| PIDA_INT | FB | PID control with most INT type parameters, support for override and cascade configurations |
| PIDA_TUNE_REAL | FB | PID control with most REAL parameters, support for override and cascade configurations and auto-tuning |
| PIDA_TUNE_INT | FB | PID control with most INT type parameters, support for override and cascade configurations and auto-tuning |
| ControlON_OFF | FB | ON and OFF control |
| ControlPWM | FB | Converts a REAL analog output into a BOOL digital output with pulse width modulation |
| ControlLowFilter | FB | Applies a low-pass filter to a variable of type REAL |
| ControlDelay | FB | Applies a delay to a variable of type REAL |
| ControlLag | FB | Applies a first order lag to a variable of type REAL with gain and limits |
| ControlDelayLag | FB | Combination of ControlDelay and ControlLag function blocks |
| ControlLeadLag | FB | Implements lead and lag times with gain and limits (e.g. to use infeed-forward controls) |
| ControlSelectMax | FUN | Selects maximum PID output for use in PID override configurations |
| ControlSelectMin | FUN | Selects minimum PID output for use in PID override configurations |
| ControlSplitRange | FUN | Divides a PID output into two outputs for different valves |
Check out an example of a PID control application with wind tunnel using the PLC XP340 from the Nexto Xpress line and the resources embedded in the NextoPID library.
Still talking about optimizations, another feature that underwent an important upgrade was the maximum size available for the Program Memory of some of the Nexto Series PLCs: from 2MB to 3MB in the XP300, XP315 and XP325 PLCs; and from 6MB to 8MB on the XP340 and NX3005 CPU. With the improvement, the user is able to store programs with more extensive codes or larger software components. An example of an application is the communication driver PROFINET, which is considerably heavier than the configuration files of other protocols on the market.
In addition to these new and updated features, the team The R&D department responsible for developing the software also implemented other specific improvements to improve the user experience. You can see more details about these improvements in our revision history available on our website Download Center.
